Friends Michael Lythcott and Stacey Eno were travelling around a bend when their scooter's brakes failed, and they went careening off the side of the road, 7News reports.

It was 2:30am and there was nobody around to see the crash, meaning the pair had to think quickly about how to get help.

Mr Lythcott realised they were both too injured to move, and posted a brief status update on Facebook begging his friends for help.

"Help. In danger. Call police," he wrote.

His friends managed to get him to share his location and a Los Angeles-based friend was able to use digital maps to find the pair were near a waterfall.

At the same time, a Vancouver-based friend frantically called Indonesian authorities - and soon, one of them was able to contact Mr Lythcott.

"I got a call from a guy named Joe from the [consulate] who said help was coming, but to help him find me," Mr Lythcott told CNN.

"I told him there was a hotel near my GPS pin, that I'd be just before that hotel - then my battery died."

Eventually, a rescue party found the pair and they were transported to a local hospital on the back of a truck. Ms Eno had broken arm, cheekbones, and nose, while Mr Lythcott had a skull fracture, broken wrist, internal damage, cracked ribs and spine, and a perforated bowel.